


It was Pain All Along

by moonlightnish



Category: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, WandaVision (TV)
Genre: Angst, Episode Related, Episode Spoilers, Established Relationship, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, M/M, Parallels, Post-Canon, Referenced Grief, Soul Bond, wandavision - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:22:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29782974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightnish/pseuds/moonlightnish
Summary: Emu and Parad watch WandaVision together. And realise just how much the character's lives parallels their own.
Relationships: Houjou Emu/Parad
Comments: 8
Kudos: 10





	It was Pain All Along

**Author's Note:**

> How to deal with an epsiode breaking my heart? Fanfiction of course!
> 
> Much thanks to Oreos for tossing out the idea.
> 
> For those who don't watch WandaVision or Marvel in general, I hope it's not too difficult to follow.  
> Just to be clear, Emu mirrors Wanda while Parad does for Vision (well somewhat, that's the point)

It was their weekly catch up on TV series night. They were just supposed to be watching “Wandavision''. 

Both of them were _so_ not prepared for the parallels to their own story.

_Wanda had Westview in a sitcom setting because she enjoyed them as a kid._

Emu knew the feeling. After all, he used to be the kid who kept imagining life as a game. And not just in a metaphorical way. In a quite literal way, downright to details like HP, NPC, etc. He also feels shame whelming in his heart when he’s reminded of what he did to ‘reset’ said game.

_“Just endless nothingness”_

_“It’s just like a wave washing over me, again and again. It knocks me down, and when I try to stand up, it just comes for me again. It’s just gonna drown me.”_

Aw come on! Now with the drowning metaphor. Shivers ran through the two people’s bodies, remembering the feeling of utter helplessness in the never ending ocean.

_*Vision’s voice*: “So Wanda killed me?”_

_“…I came back and died again.”_

_*Darcy’s voice*: “And she had to watch…”_

Now this is just cruel. Even though it has been years and Parad has tried making it very clear that he does not blame Emu one bit, Emu still can’t help the guilt he feels. Just because what he did with Muteki was necessary, it doesn't mean it was ever right. Emu just had no choice. And neither did Wanda.

Moreover, Emu was not the only one feeling the guilt. The ‘she had to watch’ part got to Parad. Honestly, he didn’t think he mattered anymore, not to Emu or to anyone. Which is why it had been so easy for him to throw his life to save Emu and the rest. But when he saw how much grief his death brought to Emu, Parad was both confused and very much touched. And thinking about it now, Parad feels guilty. Because of him, Emu had to watch two of his friends die back to back.

_“But what is grief if not love persevering?”_

Tears fall.

They watch as Wanda’s grief engulf her completely, creating something - a home - without intending to (but subconsciously always wanted).

Emu stills. Once again, it feels familiar. Too familiar. 

The endless loneliness. He knows. He has been there. Definitely not to the extent she had been in. But he can relate.

He remembers his innocent wish for a friend and getting it in the form of Parad. Even if he didn’t exactly know it at the time.

A part of him wonders if something similar would have happened at the end of Chronicle if he also had those magical powers. After all, he did break down completely and could _barely_ function for weeks after he had lost Parad.

Parad holds Emu close through the entire episode. One hand holding his shoulder in a vice grip, the other hand intertwined with one of Emu’s. 

The pain in the episode washes over both of them, hitting all of their sore points. But they couldn’t stop watching. Not when they were so invested in it.

And as the two of them expected, there is a mid credits scene. And they end it with a White Vision! Seriously, will the similarities ever stop?! 

(Well okay, the colours are different but not the point.)

Emu carefully runs a hand over his now-mostly-healed bullet wound from when they had met Another Parad, fearing whether something similar would happen to them.

(Probably yes. But they will have to wait till next week to find that out.)

When they finally switch off the tv after the way too long credits, both of them are shaken to their core.

“Parad, you..” Emu starts uncertainly, “You are…”. He trails off. He is unable to voice his fears. How could he? How could he verbalise questions like,

‘You are real, right? You are your own person right? No longer just a fiction of my imagination? You are here, right? It’s not just my lonely mind making things up?’

He swallows thickly. He doesn’t want to say it. He doesn’t want to believe it.

It’s at times like this, that the two of them are so grateful for their bond. Parad can understand Emu without them having to speak. As they say, _he just feels Emu_.

Parad reaches for his host’s hands and places over his own heart, all while trying to use their bond to reassure Emu that he really is here. That there is a heart beating on the other side of the bond. 

“I’m here Emu. I’m with you.”

“You’re here. You’re with me.” Emu repeats, finding comfort in the bugster’s presence. He wraps Parad in a hug while silently muttering, “You’re alive..”

“I’m alive,” Parad confirms. “And I won’t leave you. No one can separate us. Be it anyone. Even if they are from a parallel universe.”

Emu sighs contently against Parad’s collarbone. “Yeah. We’ve already been through that. We won’t let them. We’re invincible together.”

“Yes, we are.”

They stay like this for a while. They both need this after that rollercoaster of emotions. Even when they break the hug, they are still cuddled together.

“Since they're journey seems to mirror ours in more ways than one, I do hope Wanda and Vision find happiness in the end. Just like I’ve found mine,” Emu says as hazel eyes look up to the bugster with so much love and gratefulness.

“Thank you Emu for saying that. I’ve also found my happiness with you,” Parad kisses the doctor’s forehead. “And I agree. They both deserve to be happy after everything.”

“Yes they do,” Emu agrees. “Hey. How come it’s always the head of a huge organisation who manipulates the truth and causes so many problems?”

Parad chuckles. “Oh wow, it’s true. CEOs, directors, hmmpf. They all exploit the power they have. We probably should be careful about people with so much power.”

“Yeah probably.” 

“Sooo what do you think will happen in the next episode? Do you think we'll get to see 'the Scarlet Witch'? Will Vision and White Vision face off against each other? What will happen to Hayward? That guy needs to pay! And what about Woo and Monica…” Parad starts rambling about ideas and theories with speed that's too fast for normal humans to understand (but definitely not difficult for Emu). 

Emu just smiles and kisses Parad’s cheek. “I’m not sure. But I do want to watch and find out. Together.”

“Together we will.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it.
> 
> Find me on [Tumblr](https://moonlightnish.tumblr.com/) / [Twitter](https://twitter.com/moonlightnish/) at @moonlightnish. Feel free to drop by and send a message or anything.


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